Ice fishing net assembly

ABSTRACT

A net assembly includes a specially shaped double curved, elongated frame, a net on the frame, and an adjustable length handle attached to the rear end of the frame that is effective in inserting through a hole in the ice for retrieving a fish hooked on the end of a line.

This application is a continuation of Ser. No. 09/630,710 filed Aug. 3,2000 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,412,212.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to fishing nets and more particularly to afishing net assembly that is especially suited for ice fishing.

BACKGROUND ART

A number of attempts have been made to provide an accessory for icefishing that prevents the loss of the fish when pulled up through a holein the ice. The previous prior known fishing nets have round, flatframes and are not easily inserted through a hole in the ice andmanipulated to retrieve a fish on a line so fish are frequently lost.

U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,866,872 and 5,140,767 address this problem but utilizerelatively complex mechanisms to retrieve fish on a line under the ice.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,769,939 discloses a scoop for ice fishing with anextensible handle.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a netassembly including a double-curved frame carrying a net. The frame has agreater length than width and further has an elongated, generallyoval-shaped profile as viewed from the top with a frame width less thanthe diameter of the hole in the ice to permit insertion through thehole. The frame also has a dished or bowed profile as viewed from theside. The frame has a pair of spaced, opposed outwardly bowed sideportions, a front end portion and converging rear portions. The sideportions are also downwardly bowed. The handle preferably is lengthadjustable for different ice thickness and water depths and is shown asmade of telescoping outer and inner tubular sections. A couplingreleasably fastens the handle to the rear end portions of the frame.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Details of this invention are described in connection with theaccompanying drawings which like parts bear similar reference numeralsin which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view and cross section of the net shown belowa layer of ice over water with a hole through the ice having the netshown in a fish retrieving position having the handle extending upthrough the hole.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the frame shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of an alternative shape of frame.

FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of the handle detached from the framewith portions broken away to show interior parts with the handle beingshown in the fully retracted position so that it is of minimum length.

FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of the net assembly shown in FIG. 1 withthe handle removed.

FIG. 6 is a front elevation view of the assembly shown in FIG. 1 takenalong line 6—6 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the nine inch frame associated with a teninch hole.

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of a seven inch frame associated with an eightinch hole.

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of a five inch frame associated with a sixinch hole.

FIG. 10 is a side elevation view of the handle in the fully extendedposition so that it is of maximum length.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2, 4 and 5 of the drawing there is shown anice fishing net assembly 12 having a frame 13 carrying a net 14 with ahandle 15 removably connected to the rear end of the frame 13. The netassembly 12 is shown in an operative position below a layer of ice 16above water with the ice having a hole 17 and retrieving a fish 18 on ahook on a line 19.

The frame 13 is generally double curved having an elongated, generallyoval-shaped profile as viewed from the top with a pair of spaced,opposed, generally convex side portions 21 and 22, a V-shaped frontportion 23 and a pair of rear portions 24 and 25 with frame 13preferably being made of a single piece of shaped metal tubing. The sideportions 21 and 22 have curved end portions and a straight intermediateportion. The frame 13 somewhat resembles a hollow spoon and functionslike a spoon in scooping a fish attached to a line.

A handle coupling member 26 is attached to the rear portions 24 and 25and has an internally threaded end portion 27. The modified form shownin FIG. 3 has arcuate or continuously curved convex side portions 21Aand 22A and a curved front end portion 23A. Frame 13 has a dishedprofile as viewed from the side. Each side portion has a concave topsurface 28 and a convex bottom surface 29.

The handle 15 is shown detached from the frame 13 in a retractedposition in FIG. 4 and a fully extended position in FIG. 10. The handle15 is length adjustable having an outer tubular section 31 and an innertubular section 32 telescoping in the outer tubing section 31. A grip 33is provided at the rear of the outer tubular section 31. A couplingmember 35 is attached to the front end of the inner tubular section 32and has external threads 36 that thread into internal threads 37 oncoupling member 26. A clamp down sleeve 38 fits over the telescopingsections and turns to lock the sections at a selected length position.

The frame 13 shown has the handle 15 extending away from an end of theframe along a first plane. The frame 14 has a free or distal endopposite the handle. As viewed from the side, frame 13 extends forwardlyalong a curve away from the handle to the distal end. The distal end ofthe frame is spaced from the plane of or passing through the handle. Theframe is made of a single piece of tubing and is fixed and non-pivotal.

By way of illustration and not limitation the length of the frame 13 issixteen inches and the width nine inches as viewed from the top with thebow as viewed from the side being three inches. This provides a lengthto width ratio for the frame of about 16:9 and length to bow depth asviewed from the side of about 16:3. The length of the handle 15 in theretracted position in FIG. 4 is 36 inches and the length of the handlein the extended position shown in FIG. 10 is 84 inches providing alength adjusted range of 36 to 84. As shown in FIGS. 7-9 the netassemblies according to the present invention preferably will beprovided as a set having frames of different widths that relate to thediameters of the different augers typically used to form holes in theice of different sizes. FIG. 7 shows a ten inch hole and a nine inchframe, FIG. 8 shows a eight inch hole and a seven inch frame, and FIG. 9shows a six inch hole and a five inch frame.

The elongated or oval shape with the double curvature allows the frameto function much like a spoon to dip under the fish as shown in FIG. 1and has been found to be highly reliable in retrieving fish under theice using a scooping action. The adjustable length handle facilitatesuse for different ice thicknesses and water depths.

Although the present invention has been described with a certain degreeof particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has beenmade by way of example and that changes in details of structure may bemade without departing from the spirit thereof.

1. An ice fishing net assembly comprising: A double curved, fixed,non-pivotal frame having a handle extending away from one end of saidframe along a plane, said frame having a distal end opposite saidhandle, a net attached to said frame, said frame having a generallyoval-shaped profile as viewed from the top with a pair of outwardlybowed, spaced, opposed side portions and a front end portion and a pairof opposed rear end portions, said frame having a dished profile asviewed from the side, said frame extending forwardly along a curveextending away from said handle to said distal end, said distal endspaced from said plane, the width of said side portions beingsufficiently less than the diameter of the hole in the ice into whichsaid frame is inserted to permit insertion through the hole and belowthe ice whereby the net assembly is usable to retrieve a fish on a hookon a line under the ice via a hole in the ice, each said side portionhaving a downwardly concave top surface and a downwardly convex bottomsurface, the length of the frame being substantially greater than thewidth of the frame to provide an elongated shape, said frame being madeof a single piece of tubing.